The Overland Telegraph Line: A First Nations Perspective

The Overland Telegraph Line, a 3,000-kilometer infrastructure project, connected colonial Australia to Europe, enabling rapid communication. A new short film, 'The Truth About the Telegraph,' directed by Kieran Mpetyane Satour, presents this history from the perspective of the Aboriginal nations whose lands the line traversed, including the Kaytetye and Warumungu peoples of Central Australia. The film premiered at the Flickerfest short film festival on January 26.

Film Focus

The film combines desert imagery with songs in First Nations languages, focusing on oral histories connected to the Central Australian sections of the line, specifically the Barrow Creek and Tennant Creek telegraph stations.

Historical Incident and Colonial Retaliation

• Cultural Law Violation: According to Kaytetye law, two white telegraph construction workers were killed with spears after engaging in relationships with Indigenous women who were already promised to others, violating a cultural taboo.

• Colonial Retribution: A subsequent massacre of Aboriginal men, women, and children by white settlers occurred. Colonial newspapers reported the deaths of the two white workers, often via the new telegraph line, but did not report the retaliation.

This event represented a clash between Indigenous laws and those of colonial Australia.

• Casualties: Official reports recorded 11 Aboriginal deaths in the retaliation; however, historical accounts estimate between 50 and 90 or more.

Amplifying First Nations Voices

The National Communications Museum, a supporter of the film, noted the historical absence of Aboriginal storytelling concerning the project. The film features:

• Kaytetye Elder Tommy 'Walkabout' Jangala: Speaks of Kaytetye country and sings the song of Arelpe, the Moon Man.

• Kaytetye Woman Kumanjayi Thompson: Recounts police-led violence that followed the killings, detailing attacks on Aboriginal individuals.

• Warumungu Elder Ross Jakamarra Williams: Shares family stories, including his father's work and his grandmothers' unpaid labor at the Tennant Creek telegraph station, and their efforts to hide children from authorities.

• Warumungu Artist Joseph Jungarayi Williams: Discusses his grandmother's limited contact with her mother due to rules forbidding children of Aboriginal station workers from entering station grounds.

Production and Aim

Produced by Garunwa, a First Nations-owned production company, the film aims to ensure that First Nations stories are told by First Nations people.

Director Kieran Mpetyane Satour stated the film provides a platform for oral history and hidden trauma, without seeking to pass judgment on who was right or wrong.

The film reframes one of Australia's infrastructure projects by amplifying Kaytetye and Warumungu voices.